My good friend L. Jagi Lamplighter-Wright made a beautiful post yesterday over on the Superversive blog.
When Jon Del Arroz first confessed to me that it had come to him that he should consider evangelizing fandom, I admired the idea, but I thought it would be impossible.
After all, is there a greater collection of wicca and atheist anywhere in the universe than science fiction and fantasy fandom?
Then, I had a dream. I dreamt that I was speaking to Jon about his idea, only in the dream, I was aware that it was very, very urgent. As if there was practically nothing that could be more important.
The dream shook me.
I woke up, and I sat there, and I thought: Could it really be done?
Yes, it can really be done. In fact, it’s a step further – God WILLS it to be done.
I’ve had this as a vision since I first started writing. In semi-childish prayers in my 20s, I used to pray to God, “Please, help me be a success and I will write a work for you.”
Well, I’m a success now, and if you’ve noticed my recent works, I’m not just doing a single work on behalf of God, but I’m putting ALL of my effort into proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through fiction. The Cosmic Warrior is a Christian superhero. The NanoTemplar Trilogy is an allegory for crusading. Forthcoming are a graphic novel, Deus Vult, and a fantasy novel The Demon’s Eye which press upon the sheer necessity of faith in our lives.
I layer it into the work now much like C.S. Lewis or Tolkien did, and actually, Jagi’s husband John C. Wright is a huge inspiration in that with his Green Knight’s Squire series. He showed me it could be done and doesn’t have to be cheesy Churchian pop-art like we’ve seen for the last two decades.
This new evangelism through our cultural work has to be different than mainstream “Christian” publishing. It has to really show the way, not pay lip service.
Now, more than ever, the people and the culture NEED Christ. We have a duty as artists to point to beauty and truth, and this is how we will evangelize and how we will be successful. We have already won, after all.
Go out, evangelize, and be confident in your work. It is GOOD. God declares it so.
What ages are your works appropriate for?
Depends on the work.
NanoTemplar/Flying Sparks I’d say 12+ is OK. There’s a lot of violence, but if they are watching marvel movies it should be fine.
For Steam And Country is fine for all ages but violence dials up in the next volumes because a war happens, so again recommend 12+.
The Stars Entwined/Colony Launch there are mild sexual situations so 15+, it’s integral to the plot though because of the way the alien physiology works.
The Cosmic Warrior should be pretty good for 9+.
Clockwork Dancer should be good for 9+.